Glimpse
by shiftgiggles
Summary: This is a story that incorporates all the prompts from Gajevy week 2015. YAY GAJEVY WEEK! It didn't matter if Fairy Tail had dissolved and the members have scattered. It didn't matter if she lived in a different town every month or so. Nothing can stop Gajeel from visiting his favorite bookworm even if he doesn't entirely sees her as just a woman.
1. Chapter 1

He was sick. He was tired. He should really be at home in his warm bed, not stomping twenty miles to the nearest train station only to endure another train ride to Oak Town. His last mission was a killer that had him and his partner trudging through the cold, damp swamps in search of an elusive artifact. Since Lily or he were unfamiliar with the territory, they were under prepared and didn't even bother bringing a tent. As hardy as they were, being exposed to the elements for two weeks straight without any form of shelter had left the two with the flu.

Gajeel was still recovering and the cold still lingered. To add insult to injury, Gajeel really loathed Oak Town. His former guild, Phantom Lord was the least of those reasons. For once, Gajeel was glad that he had a stuffy nose because Oak Town's main thoroughfare always reeked of drying fish and excrement. But, for the next few months, this is where his heart resides. At the moment, she was sitting in a small café near the water's edge.

Not even his head cold and Oak Town's rancid smell could diminish her scent of aged leather and white flowers. He loved that scent because it belonged to his mate. Not that he would tell her that she was his chosen mate because Gajeel had made it explicitly clear that he needed her to get stronger so she that she can stand by his side. The only thing that overwhelmed her scent was the male she sat talking to.

Gajeel wasn't sure if the stranger was a potential lover. The guy was definitely a friend, but the way he was openly flirting with his oblivious bookworm was really making his blood boil. Thinking quickly, he extended his arm into an iron pole and knocked the guy into the canal while Levy was distractedly digging around in her purse. She looked back up to find her companion missing. Immediately, she suspected the dragon slayer was nearby.

"GAJEEL!"

There was no fooling his genius of a mate, so he employed diversion tactic #243. "Oi, Shrimp! I think your boyfriend is drowning!" The man in question was not drowning. He was getting out of the canal and he looked livid.

"Gajeel!" Levy she said through gritted teeth. "That man is my boss!"

_'OOPS!'_

Her boss, drenched from head to toe, promptly fired her on the spot and Gajeel found himself running after his Shrimp.

"Shrimp! Slow down! Yer too small. I'm havin' trouble stayin' next to ya."

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Gajeel straight in the eyes. "Gajeel, I needed that job to pay for my rent. Do you how hard it is to find a job? Jobs in Oak Town are really scarce right now," she was sniffling and Gajeel knew she was trying so hard not to cry. Her big, beautiful hazel eyes were melting into his and he knew he had to do something. Anything! Even if it meant showing some semblance of affection than he was more than comfortable with.

"I'm sorry, Levy." He murmured as he uncharacteristically pulled her close to him. "I'm glad to see you." She was still looking away from him and her lips were still pursed into a pout, then Gajeel knew it was time to bring out the big guns. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Her eyes darted back to his face. "What?!" Levy couldn't believe her ears, unsure if he had really apologized.

"Please don't make me repeat myself." A light dusting of pink dusted his cheeks. The great Kurogane was blushing and he was beyond adorable. Whatever he said worked because she softened at his words. "You can be such an IDIOT!" she huffed.

"I know shrimp," completed exasperated. "But I'm your idiot, GIHI!" Gajeel grabbed her hand to pull her along. "Forget it. Now come on, shrimp. Let's go get dinner."

They strode towards a row of restaurants. His fingers still laced around her delicate hands. After a while, she asked him about Lily's whereabouts.

"Lily's at the Exceed Village."

Levy didn't respond back because she knew the implications in his simple statement. Every month, Gajeel would time these visits to when Lily went to the Exceed village. It didn't matter what town she happened to be in, Gajeel would always insists on paying her a visit and she could never say no. So on the the third week of every month, Gajeel would visit and he would usually stay for two weeks at a time. It always looked forward to it. Not that either of them would admit it.

Four hours after dinner, he had her pressed up against the wall in yet another shoddy apartment. Her legs were wrapped around his waist. His kisses left her face and down to the column of her white throat.

She pulled away and a long, strand of saliva dangled from their lips connecting them. "Gajeel?" Her eyes were half-lidded in lust.

"Mmmm," he groaned. From pleasure or as a response – Levy couldn't tell.

"Bedroom now!" her voice rasped with such passion and desire. Nobody had to tell him twice. He wanted this woman for far too long especially since that first night together. He carried her into her bedroom, shutting the door with his foot. There was love to be made and he wasn't going to waste a second of it.


	2. Cook

"Whatcha makin'?" Gajeel asked as he gingerly picked up a hot piece of raw meat with his forefingers. Levy gently tapped the back of his hand with her wooden spoon.

"Stop eating that," she admonished. "There won't be any left if you keep picking at it."

"Where'd you learn how to cook?" he asked as he watched her grate a carrots and onions to the pan.

She stirred the mixture a little before she turned to finish opening a bottle of red wine that she would add to the dish. "Julie. She's the lady a few doors down from me." Levy said as she added a quarter cup of wine without looking up from the stove. "She either got tired of smelling burnt food from my or apartment or she felt sorry for me," she explained. "Julie taught me some of the basics: béchamel, stocks, roux, and velouté. Then, she got me a job as a prep cook in the kitchen that she works at. I was able to do that at night during my research."

"I remember," Gajeel replied as he spooned a generous helping of the mash potatoes she made while Levy wasn't looking. "You wrote to me about it. I love your letters by the way," he smirked as he helped himself to another helping of her mash potatoes.

Almost on instinct, Levy turned and chased the Dragon Slayer away. So, Gajeel began to set the table as Levy finished cooking. He opened a bottle of wine and poured each of them a glass as she served them the simple dish she had made, Shepherd's Pie.

Gajeel loved the dish. It was a far cry from the roasted chicken she attempted to make the first time she tried to make dinner. Gajeel had eaten the whole thing in one sitting although Levy made enough of the dish for leftovers the next night. It warmed her heart.

"That was delicious, shrimp," Gajeel complimented her while he nuzzled her neck. "Thank you."

After dinner, Gajeel and Levy cleaned up the kitchen before heading to couch to watch the lacrima screen. And as they sat watching, Gajeel couldn't help but feel so secure and so loved. It was a peek into domestic life and Gajeel didn't mind. It was home. _Almost._ It just needed a certain Exceed.


	3. Nursing

_6:30 A.M._

No matter where he was in the world, Gajeel would wake up at 6:30 Magnolia Central Time. He didn't have to look at the clock. It was a good thing, too, because his head was pounding and he could barely open his eyes.

Being at Shrimp's place had always put Gajeel completely at ease, but his body had been so run down that he seemed to have relapsed back into his flu. His coughing fit soon woke her up. Levy sleepily reached out to soothe him and noticed that he was burning hot. She was fully awake now. The Slayer was sweating profusely, but he must have felt cold because his teeth was chattering.

She got up and went to the kitchen to bring him a glass of water. He gladly took a sip as she stroke his back.

"Gajeel, how are you feeling?" she whispered.

"I-I'm so cold." Levy grabbed an extra blanket before she went into the kitchen to prepare some soup. She grabbed a bucket to place near the bed in case he needed to vomit and some rags and medicines for his head.

For the next day or so, she took care of him. Faithfully changing the cold compress on his head, feeding him soup and medicine, and helping him to the bathroom.

Gajeel woke up late at night and found Levy in a chair by the bed. She noticed that he was awake so she set her book down on the table. Gajeel's muscles were sore and he ached all over. Quietly, she sat next to him on the bed and began massaging his back. Never had he felt so relaxed.

In the haze of his fever, he can see Levy as a mother. She was already the kindest person he know. When he would watch her holding Lily, he could already picture a child nestled safely in her loving arms. _'Yes,'_ he thought, '_Levy would make a excellent mother.'_


	4. Lipstick

It was nearly night time when Gajeel stepped off the train in Hargeon. Glad to be off the damn train and even happier to see Levy again. It's been a month and a half, the longest that he had ever gone without seeing her. Gajeel was so eager that he arrived the night before she was expecting him.

He checked the envelope that contained her address and he made it just in time to see her opening her front door. Gajeel almost didn't recognize her. He could only confirm that it was her through her wonderful scent.

Levy was stunningly beautiful, clad in a beaded cocktail dress in a silver color. The dress had a simple sweetheart neckline that crisscross in back. The headband was gone tonight, but her usually wavy hair was styled into glossy waves pinned back by a sparkling headpiece. Her makeup might have been subtle, but her lips were painted an alluring shade of red.

She had mentioned in her previous letter that she was to attend a charity event held by Fiore's academic elite the night before he was due to arrive. He was so anxious to see her that Gajeel had forgotten that little tidbit of information. Against his better judgment, he decided to follow her anyway. He was certainly intrigued.

Quickly changing into his shadow form, he followed her down the street as he punched any man who would leer or would dare to approach her with his iron club. As she entered the party, he carefully observed her as she worked the crowd. It didn't matter that most of the attendees were strangers. Each person she met instantly warmed up to her. He thought back to the first party he attended as a Fairy Tail member. Although he was very socially awkward, he didn't feel so self-conscious and exposed in her proximity. So at that moment, he had so much pride and admiration for her.

The party was reaching its zenith as he watched Levy in her element. The little social butterfly would wander from group to group, exchanging greetings and conversations he couldn't quite comprehend. Jet and Droy had told him how they met shy, little Levy at a park as children and Gajeel couldn't quite grasp it. The heart of Fairy Tail's as shy? _Really_? He spurned the entire guild and had his ass handed to him when he pinned her to a tree.

Come to think of it, he never really asked about her past. She knew more about him than he knew of her. What he knew of her past was pieced together by what he read in the guild's archives and through their fellow guild mates. From what he knew and read, Levy had attended a prestigious boarding school for gifted students. When her parents died, she stayed on with a full ride scholarship even though she was had grown bored it. Being smarter than her most of her teachers really didn't help. She stopped attending classes and it wasn't long before she was expelled. With nowhere to go and no other kin to claim her, Levy was sent to live with her paternal uncle, a small time criminal in charge of a small crime syndicate in Magnolia.

Within a year and a half, her uncle's once small crime organization quickly rose to prominence. The small organization became a dark guild and, eventually, a full-fledge legal guild by the name of Shadow Helm. With no grounds to disband the guild, The Magic Council and the other guilds were deeply dismayed. The activities of Shadow Helm were ethically obscure, but the burgeoning guild found every legal loophole and exposed every ambiguity to keep its doors open. With their hands tied, the Regulation Committee could only keep the guild under close surveillance, ready to pounce in the event that they did something blatantly illegal.

The guild operated under the pretense of transparency. However, Shadow Helm had one vulnerability: the Guild Master was MIA. Master McGarden was a recluse, preferring to dole out orders in letters to a select proxy and agents. Makarov, working closely with Master Bob of Blue Pegasus and a small alliance of other guilds, successfully passed a statute that no longer allowed guilds to operate under proxies and agents. Guild Masters were required to personally attend monthly hearings or forced to disband.

Gajeel remembered reading an entry from the Guild's archive written by none other than Makarov himself. Per requirements, Master McGarden was scheduled to appear before the Magic Council and the Board of Light Guilds. By the accounts of former proxies and agents for Master McGarden, members of the Council and the Board were expecting a middle aged man with a large build. Shadow Helm's master was said to be impeccably dressed and judging by the correspondence given by the Master's Assistant, highly educated, well-connected, and extremely cunning. Master McGarden's reputation preceded him or her.

The chambers were rather large and it seated twenty members from both the Magic Council and the Light Guild Board. Despite the daunting task that was set before her, little eleven year old Levy McGarden stepped forward and identified herself as Shadow Helm's master. There was a large outcry at her declaration. Some of the members thought it was joke while the other half were outraged and insulted.

Chairman Makarov called the committee to order. He had passed by the little girl in the lobby on his way to the chambers reading a thick book titled, "Habeas Corpus." Master Makarov had stopped to ask her about her book and she explained the work so thoroughly and eloquently that he was impressed. So as Levy stepped in front of that big, scary room and declared herself as the former Master of Shadow Helm, Makarov wasn't all that surprise. As she spoke, every doubt and cynicism was removed from the minds of each member. The little girl was so polite, poised, and articulate. The committee further found evidence in her claim when her writing samples from her former school were compared against the letters provided by former proxies.

It was confirmed and her testimony was very well plausible. At nine years old, Levy ran her uncle's crime syndicate. Starting at the age of ten, her uncle became sick and Levy transitioned the crime organization into a legal guild. So by the time her uncle died at age 11, she ran the high profile guild by herself. Levy had explained that she was close to her uncle and he allowed her to move forward with her seemingly harebrained schemes as means of distracting her from his impending death.

Shadow Helm didn't have to close. The Committee simply had to ask her to disband it. Levy agreed because it was really starting to cut into her reading time. But much to the Committee's ire, Levy had taken additional measures to ensure it would take several years to disband Shadow Helm. The Committee was outsmarted by the clever little girl again. As a compromise, Levy would work closely with the Committee to help close up any loopholes and pass additional laws.

Despite no longer being in existence, Shadow Helm still lives on in infamy. It served to provide a model for dark guilds to operate out in the open as legitimate organization, namely Phantom Lord, Raven Tail, and (to some extent) Sabretooth. Gajeel didn't know it at the time, but Levy and her Shadow Gear teammates were not just some random targets that night. He knew that Levy was instrumental in shutting Raven Tail down even if it meant that she couldn't participate in the Grand Magic Games.

Gajeel continued to watch in awe as she moved among the crowd at ease. He could see her as a politician or a dignitary of some sort and not as mere arm candy of a sleazy politician. She wouldn't be happy as a spouse, but Levy would be pulling the strings regardless.

As the party wound down, Levy headed out towards her home well past midnight. He was irritated that she was walking home alone despite his lectures. Determined to prove his point, he started to follow her home. They were only a few blocks from her apartment when he decided he was going to sneak up right behind her. Gajeel was going to enjoy scaring the ever livin' daylights out of Shrimp.

"Are you going to continue to be a lurker or are you finally going to say hello?" she smirked, not even bothering to turn around.

Gajeel was surprised. "How'd you know?"

Levy finally turned around to look at the Slayer. "Pfft. Please. You've been following all night." She placed her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. "You aren't exactly discreet or subtle."

"Tch. Whatever you say," was the cleverest retort he can come up with. He picked up the tiny woman and perched her on his shoulder. "Those shoes look uncomfortable. I'm gonna carry you home," he smirked as Levy giggled.

They got into her apartment and he took off her shoes before he set her down. "I'm comfortable now," Levy said happily. Gajeel wasn't convinced. "That dress looks like it's too tight on you. I bet you can barely breathe in it," he deadpanned as he gently pulled the hidden side zipper on her dress. Gajeel carefully slid the dress off her delicate frame and he was rewarded with a view of her clad in sexy, sheer lace lingerie. It was the set that he bought her last time.

"Are you comfortable now?" He asked and Levy couldn't miss the seductive look in his eyes. She made her way to her bedroom, throwing him a look over her shoulder. Gajeel loved that look because it was a look that was only for him. Her beautiful hazel eyes were locked onto him, filled with desire, passion, and love. It never failed to compel him to her side.

She traced the bottom of her crimson colored lips with her delicate forefinger. She dragged her finger to the tops of her breasts, down her cleavage, and finally to the back as she unhooked her bra. "I think that I might be more comfortable if I didn't have to wear these."

He couldn't take it anymore. "You forced my hand, Shrimp!" he declared. "Sex attack!" Gajeel launched himself towards her. She squealed before he crashed his lips against her, effectively smearing her lips all over his face and neck.

Lily would give him a knowing smirk when he did their laundry a few weeks later.

* * *

A/N: Since Mashima never explained Levy's past, Imma just leave this here until it says otherwise.


	5. Daydreams for an Iron House

The summer was fading into autumn as Gajeel walked back to the apartment he shared with Lily. He just arrived from Clover Town where he spent the past week with the Shrimp. However, his visit was cut short because she had an urgent, last minute mission with Shadow Gear. Days like these were rare. There was no mission or Lily to occupy his time. Just a suspicious, aching feeling that Levy might be moving on from him.

She had every right to move on. He couldn't fault her for that. Hell, he was half expecting it because he had put off this conversation for as long as he could. Every time she would ask him, Gajeel would either ignore or evade the question. After all, he didn't believe in long distance relationships. Long distance relationships required a lot more work. Right? _Right? _Even though their current relationship status could technically be considered a long distance one already. A fact that Levy and Lily had pointed out to him on numerous occassions.

Gajeel was simply adverse to change. He felt what he shared with Levy was special and he was pretty sure she felt the same. Or so he thought.

Their last morning in Clover wasn't different from any morning in whatever town she happened to live in. He and Shrimp had a routine. The night before, they had dinner and window shopped before going back to Levy's place where they would made love and fall asleep. The next morning, they would wake up tangled in each other arms and bed sheets. She would always asked him the same question on every first day:

"What am I to you?"

He would answer with silence or evade the question all together. Usually, she would just sigh and look disappointed. Maybe even pout for an hour. Rinse. Repeat.

This time was different. Levy didn't sigh or look disappointed. Instead, he could feel her tears that were falling down his back. She held him so he wasn't able to turn around to face her. So, he responded with an 'I don't know' and she fell back asleep after that. He got up to make them something to eat.

He was searching for a pan to cook food with. Behind some random pans, he found a box of letters. Most of the letters were from himself, Jet, and Droy. It was expected. There were also letters from their former guild mates. He was surprised that she kept in touch with almost everybody. A small, bundle of letters in the bottom labeled, "Damien" caught his eye.

The most recent letter was postmarked from three days ago. Gajeel took it out of the envelope and it simple said, 'Meet me at the town of Onibus at the address labeled on this envelope.'He noticed that the date on the calendar on the wall was circled and labeled with 'Onibus'. His curiosity was getting the better of him. Gajeel went to open another letter from the stack when he heard Levy get up from bed. Thinking fast, he grabbed a pen and a scratch piece of paper to scribble down the address and the date from the letter. He decided that he would read the rest of the letters after she falls asleep tonight.

He put the box of letters back just as Levy stumbled into the kitchen. Trying to sound as indifferent as possible, he asked her what she felt like eating. He carefully observed the small woman from the corner of his eye and he noticed that her eyes were red and puffy, possibly from crying. '_Shit'_.

He was lucky that she was distracted when the small communication lacrima started to ring in the other room. It was her Shadow Gear teammates calling her for help on a job a town away. She agreed and made plans to meet them at the station in an hour. "Gajeel? I'm sorry, but I think we have to cut things short."

Levy was honestly relieved to get away. Gajeel had once again avoided her question on where they stood and, frankly, she was tired of being in a half-assed relationship. She was offered two jobs: an assistant to the National Archivist in the neighboring nation of Caelum and Assistant Head Librarian in Crocus. Both jobs were about equal in prestige, pay, and caveats. She was largely undecided for the most part.

Throwing caution to the wind, Levy decided that Gajeel would be the tiebreaker of sorts. If he wanted to be with her, she will stay in Crocus. Otherwise, she was packing her bags for Caelum.

She hatched a plan for Gajeel's visit this month to finally pin this relationship down. Her plan was a complete failure. Gajeel had cold rejected her. Fortunately, the call from Shadow Gear was a godsend and would spare her from further humiliation. The job would only be a day trip, but Gajeel didn't need to know that. She had to meet her recruiter, Damien, in Onibus to give him a final decision and sign paperwork.

Gajeel had plated some pancakes when she walked into the kitchen to join him. Looking at the Slayer, Levy decided that she needed to start distancing herself from him for two reasons. One was to give him a little space to decide where _this_ was going. The second reason was the in the event that they broke up. She felt the second was the inevitable.

"Shrimp, so you're leavin'?" Gajeel asked, trying to keep a neutral face and not sound disappointed.

"Yeah, for a week long. I'm leaving this afternoon, so I'm sorry to have to cut things so short," she said in a curt voice.

For the duration of the meal, Levy remained polite, cold, and distant. Gajeel felt like he was sitting with an entirely different person from the night before. He helped her wash and put away the dishes before he packed up to go, not even bothering to shower the night off of him.

"Walk with me to the station?" he asked, but Levy shook her head no. "I have to get ready." She stood on her tippy toes, gave him a hug and a wistful smile. "Take care of yourself, okay?" she said before ushering him to the door and shutting it behind him.

He walked back to the station wondering why he was so reluctant to say the things that he had already felt inside his heart and soul. All that she had asked was from him was a promise not to date anyone else and not to let anyone touch him. He had asked that of her already – indirectly, of course.

The train pulled away from the Clover Town station and he started to get nauseous. Racked with motion sickness, he struggled to occupy his mind with an iron house that he long to someday build. It would have a small apartment attached to it for his Lily. There would be a total of four bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms will have an adjoining bathroom. One of these bedrooms would be his room while the other would be a room for a guest. The other two bedrooms will share an adjoined bathroom. He wanted a workshop for his metal, a basement library with an office, and enough acreage to spar with Lily.

His daydream became deeper as he fell into sleep. The pain from earlier fading away as he continued to dream about floor plans for his iron house and the little family that will one day share his dream home.

But back at the apartment where he had left her, Levy paced back and forth in the living room willing herself to stay and resist the urge to go after him. She chanted in her head as she released all the tears that she had been holding in:

_'This was for the best.'_

_'This was for the best.'_

_'This was for the best.'_


	6. A Song

Three months later

He was heart sick and tired as he stepped off the train at Magnolia. Levy had been gone for far too long, not having seen her since she closed the door behind him back in Clover Town.

Gajeel began his search for her when the letters that barely trickled in no longer showed up in his mailbox. That was three months ago. Since then, he had searched every town she had lived in for the past year. He even found Damien and the elder told him that she never showed up for their meeting. The trail had gone cold. Every lead resulted in a dead end. It was like she had dropped off the face of Earthland.

Yet, Gajeel never stopped looking for her and he spent the weeks that Lily was at the Exceed village searching for her. Finally, after finding no luck in Stella and Bosco, Gajeel had finally felt defeated and very broke. Lily had suggested returning to Magnolia for steady work and he agreed. It will at least give him a little time to regroup and save enough jewel before he went to search for her again.

Living in Magnolia felt right and, in a way, he felt closer to her. Each corner in that town held a memory of her and, oddly, it made him happier than he had been in a long time. Walking through the street, Gajeel had found a certain comfort in reminiscing about his shared past with Levy.

Like the past few weeks since he moved back, Gajeel was strolling back to his apartment down the path that cut through a grove of cherry trees in Magnolia's South Gate Park. He was contemplating his next steps before finally deciding that he would pay a visit to Jet and Droy. Cursing himself for not thinking of the idea earlier, he sat down under a tree to scribble his notes down on a notebook. Gajeel was so deeply engrossed in his thoughts that he almost missed a soft lullaby being sung by a voice he had missed so much.

He quickly stood up and smelled the air. It was there! That scent of aging papers, white musk, and …(whiff) iron? He followed the scent deeper into the park. Sitting on a blanket next to a tree was his beloved shrimp.

Levy.

Her back was to him. Soft blue hair fell in waves past her shoulders and onto the pages of a book she held close to her face. She was a sight for sore eyes, even more beautiful in reality than in his dreams. She shifted from her knees to sit back against the tree. It was then his eyes shifted down to her bulging stomach. He felt his heart catch in his throat.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Everything became clear: her sudden disappearance and her scent mixing with iron. She was going to have a baby. His baby! His shrimp was singing lullabies to their unborn baby!


	7. Metalicana

Metallicana was never good at relationship advice. He never discussed the mechanics of human reproduction or the nuances of love. Like most of his fellow guild mates, the closest thing to a non-dysfunctional and loving relationship was Bisca's and Alzack's marriage. Having witness their love and devotion, Gajeel couldn't help but want that for himself one day even if it meant it would expose his vulnerability.

Metallicana very seldom discussed relationship directly. If and when he did, it was always spoken in the context of battle. For example, when he lectured Gajeel about hesitation:

_"Gajeel! If you hesitate in battle, you will be easily defeated. Hesitation will kill you, your team mates, and the people you love!"_

It was years later when Metalicana would tell him about how his hesitation in creating a dragon slayer resulted in the death of his mate and hatchlings.

Gajeel also remembered the gem his father imparted on finding a partner:

_"Oi Gajeel, the right partner elevates your strength in battle. Pick a partner that is strong as yourself to stand beside you in battle and should be someone that you will not have to protect. A weak partner is a burden, son. Heed my words. "_

He found a partner in his exceed, Lily. Lily was a strong, exceed soldier. Little did he know that Metalicana was also talking about choosing a mate. It wasn't well after he had fallen in love with Levy that he realized that strength was beyond the physical.

The last advice that Metallicana would impart was direct. He knew the old dragon was serious when spoke honestly:

_"Remember, Gajeel. Hell has no fury like a woman scorned."_

Metallicana never explained that one to Gajeel. He wouldn't understand those words until years later during the battle between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. As he laid in complete defeat, the words of his father echoed in his mind. He desecrated one woman (her male teammates being collateral damage) and it spurned an entire guild into action.

Metalicana was never good at relationships. He never even saw his father interact with other dragons or other humans aside from himself. And yet, every woman Gajeel had dared to look at with interest towards a relationship he would wonder if his father would approve of her.

Gajeel was a grown man, but he still needed his dragon father's blessing. On the top of wish list of ideals and traits he wanted his wife to have was a separate set of criteria he thinks will get his father to accept his mate.

No one was ever truly good enough until he met Levy. She met every item on that list except she was physically week. So he hope and wished that she strengthen up over time. _'Please be strong, so my father will approve of you when he sees you one day.'_

When his father reappeared long enough to tell him the circumstances of his disappearance, Gajeel wondered if he could finally remove his father's approval from that list. Gajeel would work to get strong and to protect his woman and family. He wanted to be equal with Metalicana's power. There would only be one thing that would differentiate father from son: to be in a good relationship and to have a family and friends that he would be close to.

* * *

A/N: I realized that I forgot the Metalicana prompt. Thanks for dropping by!


	8. An AU All Along

The last month of pregnancy was an uncomfortable one. When she laid down she felt like a turtle on its back. In a standing position, she felt her stomach was sagging all the way to the ground. Worse, she waddled when she walked. Levy just wanted her baby to come out, but he was refusing. No amount of walking or physical activity was helping to progress his delivery. This baby was as stubborn as his father.

Jet and Droy came back with food to the small grove of trees she was picnicking in. Her boys were back in town temporarily to help her with the birth and care of the newborn.

They spread the food before her before insisting that she eat.

"You need to eat, Levy."

"Are you comfortable?"

She was so touched that her best friends had set aside their own lives to help her with the surprise pregnancy. "I have good news! My water finally broke over an hour ago" she said excitedly. Her teammates cheered, "Finally!"

"Levy, when should we take you to the hosp -."

"WWHHHAATTT?!"

The trio heard a growl somewhere in the trees above. Levy froze. The voice belonged to someone that she had avoided for the past several months. She hadn't gone out of her way to disappear, but she didn't exactly reach out to him either. Deep down, Levy knew that Gajeel would find her. He always finds her.

Gajeel and Lily jumped down from the tree they were hiding in. "WHY AREN'T YOU IN THE HOSPITAL?!" he fumed before he glared at Jet and Droy. "WHY IS SHE HERE? SHE NEEDS TO GO NOW!" Gajeel was starting to panic. Lily changed into his true form to make sure Gajeel didn't go overboard as he was wont to do.

Jet put his arm protectively around Levy, "Calm down, Gajeel. Just because her water broke, doesn't mean the baby is going to come right away. It can take hours. Besides, we were just discussing that." Levy was about to respond when she was overcome with a strong wave of contractions.

Her sudden cry in pain caused Gajeel to freak out. Before she could protest, he quickly picked up Levy, bridal-style, and started running towards the hospital. Not that she could respond with some much pain coursing through her body.

The contractions had subsided temporarily before she attempted to reason with Gajeel again. "Gajeel, you know Jet can get me to the hospital faster than you can, right?" He looked at the woman he held in his arms as if she had gone completely insane before he allowed himself to release the last breath that he had been holding in

"Shrimp, how are you pregnant?" he asked as he set her down.

Levy was confused, not being able to think clearly, "You want me to explain the birth process?" She was cringing, bracing herself from the next onslaught of contractions.

Gajeel bent down on one knee to kneel before her. He was trying to make himself as non-threatening as possible, lest he incurred the wrath of her teammates and Lily who were now standing nearby. "What I'm asking is – Is this baby mine?" She couldn't miss the hopeful look in his eyes and knew that she had to speak the truth.

"Yes," she confessed and with that her body became racked with another wave of contractions. "This baby is yours! He's two weeks overdue," She started panting with labored breathes, "huh-ah ah...and I think this he's conspiring against me so I can give birth to him with you present." Her pain was increasing ten-fold and she was starting to have doubts that she would make it to the hospital in time.

"GIHI!" He picked her and started towards the hospital again. "Damn straight that's my kid! This kid is not gonna let anyone push him around."

* * *

It was a little past midnight after Levy had given birth to their son. The baby weighed in at 10 lbs and 9 ounces and was 22 cm long.

"Meet my son!" as he ushered his Exceed and Shadow Gear into the room.

The baby's hair and eyes was dark, too soon to tell what shade of hair or eye color it will eventually become. His baby cutely yawned and Gajeel lost it. He started to bawl uncontrollably while he clutched the baby to his chest.

"Congratulations, Daddy," Jet smiled uncomfortably, still unaccustomed to the sight of a crying Dragon Slayer.

"T-Thank you both for *hic* taking care of my babies," Gajeel said. He started rubbing his cheek against the baby's head and was sobbing onto his infant's body now.

"No worries, Gajeel. We're all family here. I take it you got the letter that we sent you?" Droy asked.

Lily frowned, "When did you send a letter?"

Jet was a bit confused. He was sure Gajeel knew about the baby's pending arrival because of a letter he sent behind Levy's back. "I sent you a letter a few weeks ago," turning to Levy to gauge her reaction and to see if she would be upset. Luckily, Levy was too engrossed in her son and still too loopy from the effects of the drugs. The Slayer and the Exceed, on the other hand, looked at each other before they unleashed a barrage of questions:

"When did she find out she was expecting?"

"How long had she been living in Magnolia?"

"Why didn't she tell me?"

The partners looked to Levy for answers, but she had already fallen asleep. The adrenaline had finally faded away. Gajeel and Lily looked to her Shadow Gear teammates for answers instead.

From what he understood from Jet and Droy, the Shrimp found out she was pregnant a few weeks after he visited her in Clover. She immediately turned down job offers in Crocus and Caelum. Levy had told Jet and Droy when she was six months along and they had rushed to her side to be with her. Shortly after, the team had moved to Magnolia to keep an eye out for her since there were mild complications due to the size of the baby."

Gajeel and Lily were in complete disbelief. "I can't believe we didn't think to look in Magnolia," Lily mumbled, explaining how Gajeel had scoured Fiore and Bosco to search for her. They told the boys how they had moved back to Magnolia very recently and that there would have been no way to have gotten the letter.

"She was scared to tell you. Well, I guess you both are really bound together. It's the Law of the Universe," Droy said. Before he had a chance to elaborate even further, visiting hours were over. Lily and Shadow Gear left the room so the small family can get some sleep. Many of his questions were left unanswered and he will have to wait until the morning before he would get his answers.

It was time for Gajeel to get some rest as well. "Tomorrow, we need to decide on your name, little man," he whispered to his newborn son as he placed him back in the hospital bassinet.

He walked over to a sleeping Levy, lovingly brushing away loose blue strands from her face. 'Beautiful.' Gajeel loved her so much; searched the ends of Fiore to stay together. He marveled at how he woke up this morning sad and alone, only to go to bed happy and as a new father. A large adjustment for someone that never had to run through a gamut of emotion in a single day before.

In the presence of his decidedly future wife and son, he was humbled and in awe. "Choosing me is the dumbest thing you've ever done, shrimp," he said as he tenderly stroked her sleeping face, "But I promise I'm gonna do everything to make sure that you will never doubt your decision."

He bent down to kiss her sleeping face and laid down in the cot next to her bed thoroughly exhausted. His eyes drifted back and forth between his son and Levy before letting their even breaths lull him into sleep. It didn't matter where they would end up living. Their future as far as he can see was still uncertain. Here in the small room that burned his nose with the smell of antiseptic and next to his two loves, he felt his heart swell so much that he thought it might burst. A single thought lingering in his mind as he succumbed to sleep:

_Daddy was finally home._

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please read and review when you have a chance.


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